Compiling RHEL WS Kernels

Compiling RHEL WS Kernels

[Paul G. Allen]

I recently installed RHEL WS Update 3 (kernel 2.4.21-20) on my laptop.
Out of the box it does not recognize any USB devices, my Synaptics
touchpad, my PCMCIA Wireless (NetGear WAG511G) or the proper
resolution on my LCD. (NOTE: RH 9 worked perfectly OOTB on this same
machine. So far I'm not at all impressed with RHEL WS - any more than
I was with RH 7.0.)

I tried to build a new 2.4.21 kernel based upon a configuration from a
non-RH kernel (2.4.24) that worked on this machine. Not a single
module will compile correctly. I had to remove all modules and compile
them into the kernel. I2C code will not compile at all and it had to
be completely removed. After this I was able to compile a working
kernel, but it boots with errors and the NVIDIA driver will not
compile.

I've submitted a service request with Red Hat, but have not yet
received a response.

What compiler versions are known to work with this kernel?

Is this a known problem with RHEL?

My next step may be D/L the latest 2.6 stable kernel and try compiling
that (but that still leaves the question of which gcc version to use).

TIA,

PGA

Re: Compiling RHEL WS Kernels

[Arjan van de Ven]

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On Sat, 2004-11-13 at 22:23 -0800, Paul G. Allen wrote:
> I recently installed RHEL WS Update 3 (kernel 2.4.21-20) on my laptop.
> Out of the box it does not recognize any USB devices, my Synaptics
> touchpad, my PCMCIA Wireless (NetGear WAG511G) or the proper
> resolution on my LCD. (NOTE: RH 9 worked perfectly OOTB on this same
> machine. So far I'm not at all impressed with RHEL WS - any more than
> I was with RH 7.0.)
> 

you might want to install the kernel-unsupported rpm

> I tried to build a new 2.4.21 kernel based upon a configuration from a
> non-RH kernel (2.4.24) that worked on this machine. Not a single
> module will compile correctly. I had to remove all modules and compile

did you start with  mrproper ?
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Re: Compiling RHEL WS Kernels

[Mikael Pettersson]

On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 22:23:14 -0800, Paul G. Allen wrote:
>I recently installed RHEL WS Update 3 (kernel 2.4.21-20) on my laptop.
>Out of the box it does not recognize any USB devices, my Synaptics
>touchpad, my PCMCIA Wireless (NetGear WAG511G) or the proper
>resolution on my LCD. (NOTE: RH 9 worked perfectly OOTB on this same
>machine. So far I'm not at all impressed with RHEL WS - any more than
>I was with RH 7.0.)
>
>I tried to build a new 2.4.21 kernel based upon a configuration from a
>non-RH kernel (2.4.24) that worked on this machine. Not a single
>module will compile correctly. I had to remove all modules and compile
>them into the kernel. I2C code will not compile at all and it had to
>be completely removed. After this I was able to compile a working
>kernel, but it boots with errors and the NVIDIA driver will not
>compile.
...
>What compiler versions are known to work with this kernel?

I run RHEL3 2.4.21-20.EL on several servers over here,
and in that role it works great.

You should only use gcc-3.2.3 to compile RHEL3 kernels.
The old 2.4 code base has problems with later gcc versions;
they've been fixed in 2.4.28-pre/rc, but that doesn't
help you with your 2.4.21-based RHEL kernel.

And as Arjan wrote, you must do a mrproper before configuring
and building the kernel and modules.

>My next step may be D/L the latest 2.6 stable kernel and try compiling
>that (but that still leaves the question of which gcc version to use).

Just about any one of {2.95.3, 3.2.3, 3.3.5, 3.4.3}.

Re: Compiling RHEL WS Kernels

[Paul G. Allen]

Stupid, stupid, stupid....

....I forgot mrproper. I'm so used to not having to use it that I
forgot. /me feels like an idiot. That said, the stock kernel should
have recognized my USB devices, LCD resolution, and touchpad like RH
9.0 did without having to re-compile (but that's RH's problem, not
this list).

I still have some warnings when it boots about missing modules
(char_major_xxx), but I'm sure I can fix that.

Now my only issue is why Doom 3 runs at a snail's pace now, but then
running games isn't that important in the larger scheme of things.

PGA

Re: Compiling RHEL WS Kernels

[Alan Cox]

On Sul, 2004-11-14 at 15:52, Paul G. Allen wrote:
> forgot. /me feels like an idiot. That said, the stock kernel should
> have recognized my USB devices, LCD resolution, and touchpad like RH
> 9.0 did without having to re-compile (but that's RH's problem, not
> this list).

LCD resolution is a matter for X, the others are mostly in
kernel-unsupported

> 
> I still have some warnings when it boots about missing modules
> (char_major_xxx), but I'm sure I can fix that.
> 
> Now my only issue is why Doom 3 runs at a snail's pace now, but then
> running games isn't that important in the larger scheme of things.
> 
> PGA
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Re: Compiling RHEL WS Kernels

[Alan Cox]

On Sul, 2004-11-14 at 15:52, Paul G. Allen wrote:
> Stupid, stupid, stupid....
> 
> ....I forgot mrproper. I'm so used to not having to use it that I
> forgot. /me feels like an idiot. That said, the stock kernel should
> have recognized my USB devices, LCD resolution, and touchpad like RH
> 9.0 did without having to re-compile (but that's RH's problem, not
> this list).

Install kernel-unsupported. Note LCD reading is an X matter

Re: Compiling RHEL WS Kernels

[Nick Warne]

I have 2 boxes running RHEL ES at work, and I installed it on my laptop (a 
cheap Advert thing).  The soundcard didn't work, and USB went wonky.

So I tried to build a new kernel, and that was it, almost every module broke.  
I messed about for ages, but never got it right.

I fixed it by installing Slackware 10 instead...

I am sure with RHEL there is an extra step somewhere to build a kernel 
properly.

Nick
-- 
"When you're chewing on life's gristle,
Don't grumble, Give a whistle..."